Get me to the Greek

Something for the weekend? Go to the restaurant giving Greek food a cool-over...

Among all the sliders and the posh fried chicken and ceviche and Swedish haute cuisine and I could go on since it is my job to keep up with all these places but even I get lost... what's happened to poor old Greek food? Scrap that, has Greek food ever had a moment? Aside from the local tavern in the small Northern town where I grew up, I'm not sure I've really experienced its full um, 'cuisine' potential, which is why I was keen to try new Greek restaurant Mazi in Notting Hill.

'Revolutionising Greek food in the UK' is a bold claim, but the gorgeous little spot doesn't disappoint. You won't find stodgy lamb shanks, meze platters and moussaka, just a carefully thought out menu of stylish 'jars' (think feta spread, tzatziki etc), cold plates (the modern greek salad is basically a gigantic tomato stuffed full of black olives, cheese and fresh herbs) and hot plates (the feta tempura is mind-blowing).

The dishes, supplemented by homemade olive bread, are designed to be shared amongst the table, so while it's visually contemporary, it's also authentically Greek in its old school sensibility.

I particularly loved Mazi's interior decor. Think, shabby chic brickwork, modern postcards of Greek hanging like bunting (that looks cooler than I've just made it sound), birdcage-style lampshades and the piece de resistance - a back door leading out onto a mediterranean style terrace.

So, all you weekend hipsters, reason enough to ditch the champagne and hotdogs?

mazi.co.uk